GARY JUFFA
IN ancient times, warriors guarded their people with their lives.
They believed in defending and protecting what they believed in with their lives: their families, their land, their dignity and their honour.
Our cultural systems were such that tyranny was not entertained. No one who rose up and intimidated and oppressed would last long. Law was enforced. Justice was seen to be done.
We were never the brutal and unintelligent savages that those who wrote about us claimed we were.
Rather, we were noble, fearless, honourable and believed and promoted a way of life that ensured our survival for thousands of years, living in harmony with our environment, sharing and caring for one another and fiercely protecting what we believed in.
Certainly there was conflict; what society hasn't got conflict? But we had intricate mechanisms to bring about peace.
Certainly there were those who attempted to exert power through force; but they were never allowed to rise and oppress their people. The greater good prevailed. The people’s interest came first; never the individuals.
Today, we lack warriors. They are rare. What we have too many of are politicians - those who have arrived at their positions through purchase, scheme or scam.
They do not stand with their people, they do not fight for land or future, instead they sell and forsake and strive to rise above the very people whose hopes and dreams they carry.
We lack that warrior ethos that made Papua New guinea the nation it is today.
I do not profess to be a leader or a warrior, but I like to walk in the footsteps of my ancestors, those great warriors who ensured we are where we are now, those warriors who fought fiercely to protect their people.
I hope that my decisions reflect that code: an honourable and dignified effort to stand with my people.
I hope others will rise up too and stand with me.
I believe that there are still warriors out there.
Rise up and take back our land. Defend our people. Secure our future.